What the FUCk is this HUMMing SOund

Generated by the body, the auditory or the nervous system, with no external stimulus. However, the theory that the Hum is actually tinnitus fails to explain why the Hum can be heard only at certain geographical locations, to the degree those reports are accurate. There may exist individual differences as to the threshold of perception of acoustic or non-acoustic stimuli, or other normal individual variations that could contribute to the perception of the Hum by some people in the population and not by others.

While the Hum is hypothesized to be a form of low frequency tinnitus[12] such as the venous hum, some sufferers claim it is not internal, being worse inside their homes than outside. However, others insist that it is equally bad indoors and outdoors. More mystery is added as some notice the Hum only at home, while others hear it everywhere they go. Some reports indicate that it is made worse by attempted soundproofing (e.g., double glazing), which serves only to decrease other environmental noise, thus making the Hum more apparent. Tinnitus, as well, is generally worse in places with less exterior sound.

People who both suffer from tinnitus and hear the Hum describe them as qualitatively different, and many hum sufferers can find locations where they do not hear the hum at all. An investigation by a team of scientists in Taos dismissed the possibility that the Hum was tinnitus as highly unlikely.Copyright Source: [link to en.wikipedia.org]

I've heard the hum off and on for the last year or so. I live in east Denver, colorado. At first I thought it was me and I was crazy. But I really do think it's either inside the Earth or it's manmade....

For the past month or so I have been hearing a very low level humming sound. No one else hears it and I'm starting to wonder WTF is going on. I hear it mostly at night and early morning, because I'm guessing it's the quiet time of the day (night).

This humming is not constant, it sounds like an electric motor trying to cycle. I've turned off all the curcuits in the house so I know it's not from within the house. I can even hear it when I'm out in the woods or at the neighbors house.It's really starting to bug me out!

Been hearing it in Murrieta, CA since I moved here 9 months ago... I've become increasingly sensitive to it... listening to it right now in fact, over the fridge, my computer and the buzzing of florescent overheads... it's a horrible noise. I've tried to meditate with it but there's a strange 'off-stereo' effect to it. It's slightly disorienting, like it doesn't cycle at my left and right ears perfectly... there's definitely a stereoscopic distortion that makes it difficult to get comfortable with. Someone said it sounds like a lightsaber in the distance... I imagine one a few miles long and a thousand feet wide some 15 miles in the distance, hovering above the horizon. Can't sleep through it... must turn on a fan with a similar tone. I'm considering moving bc of it... it's truly making me irritable and unhappy. It's not just the nuisance of its existence, but the quality of its sound, or lack thereof.

I've discovered that I can hear it REALLY loudly with my right ear (with a finger jammed in my left ear), and hardly at all with my left ear (w/ my right ear plugged)- clearly due to a difference in my hearing abilities and would explain the wavering 'off' stereoscopic image. Most interesting: if I hum the note, the HUM seems to stop for a moment or two, then immediately fills in the auditory vacuum. It's almost like my humming creates a temporary baffle that mutes or 'defeats' the waves- like noise cancelling headphones.

Last night was quiet enough outside that I could hear it outdoors... I also now remember how loud it was last summer. I'd like to go to other people's homes in the area and see if it can be heard. I'm also considering a late night source search when it gets really bad--- does anyone have any suggestion as to what type of device I might need to detect or measure this sound. If I can get at least 3 accurate measurements I can begin to triangulate the source direction and track it down (this assuming there's a primary direction). I"m under the impression this is an overlapping phenomenon, so I'm sure there are multiple sources--- whether low frequency towers, ELFS or whatever other networking might be causing this.

And I can hear it right now, at 10:00 am, in my otherwise silent home.

I've discovered that I can hear it REALLY loudly with my right ear (with a finger jammed in my left ear), and hardly at all with my left ear (w/ my right ear plugged)- clearly due to a difference in my hearing abilities and would explain the wavering 'off' stereoscopic image. Most interesting: if I hum the note, the HUM seems to stop for a moment or two, then immediately fills in the auditory vacuum. It's almost like my humming creates a temporary baffle that mutes or 'defeats' the waves- like noise cancelling headphones.

Last night was quiet enough outside that I could hear it outdoors... I also now remember how loud it was last summer. I'd like to go to other people's homes in the area and see if it can be heard. I'm also considering a late night source search when it gets really bad--- does anyone have any suggestion as to what type of device I might need to detect or measure this sound. If I can get at least 3 accurate measurements I can begin to triangulate the source direction and track it down (this assuming there's a primary direction). I"m under the impression this is an overlapping phenomenon, so I'm sure there are multiple sources--- whether low frequency towers, ELFS or whatever other networking might be causing this.

And I can hear it right now, at 10:00 am, in my otherwise silent home.

Quoting: lucidink 11709942

You merely describe the well-known and researched 'masking' ability of the human ear/brain mechanism...when louder or more nearby sounds are present, the whole focus is shifted and the new, loud, nearby sound and ALL other sounds seem to fall away.

You can increase this by focussing your eyes upon a thing, too...which is why you can 'hear' someone talking at a very loud concert in a crowd.

Some well-practised in meditation can focus SO strongly upon a point or object, they can turn off their ears! I'm not yet to that level...

So far, I've confirmed the hum in locations well over 200 miles apart...how far do you want to go in your triangulation calculations?!

Well, I've been to two other homes in the immediate vicinity (5-miles radius) and about 20 miles out into some pretty pristine wilderness... could hear it both homes loud and clear, and just barely the bush. This in the Murrieta, southern Riverside County area just north of San Diego County.

The next question is: how can we make this a 'media-worthy' phenomenon? I personally believe it is, as I can't imagine how this isn't absolutely deteriorating the quality of life for the residents of these areas (whether consciously or not). I had an interesting conversation with a friend of mine who is an environmental researcher at a local university- his claim is that certain pervading frequencies not only affect our immune systems (for the constant low-grade stress and sleep problems) but also affect the animals. It has been shown that farm animals are less productive and tend to live shorter lives while constantly bathed in certain sounds. I'm personally going batty living here and am currently trying to figure out how to move asap... and I'm not being dramatic- it's making me miserable.

You merely describe the well-known and researched 'masking' ability of the human ear/brain mechanism...when louder or more nearby sounds are present, the whole focus is shifted and the new, loud, nearby sound and ALL other sounds seem to fall away...

...Some well-practised in meditation can focus SO strongly upon a point or object, they can turn off their ears! I'm not yet to that level...

Quoting: Gannon

I figured it was some sort of built in physiological mechanism--- and it's just a big tease, as I find myself humming for a few seconds at a time just to get some relief. What's more, having now heard this sound for some time and really gotten a beat on it, it's as present as ever... I've trained my ear to hear and my mind to be agitated by it (not a healthy combination- but probably necessary for my survival and long-term well-being).

So far, I've confirmed the hum in locations well over 200 miles apart...how far do you want to go in your triangulation calculations?!

Cheers,JohnDetroit

Quoting: Gannon

As far as triangulation goes- we might consider getting more serious about a 'map'. In order to do so we need to determine whether or not we're experiencing the same phenomenon (and not just experientially or subjectively). How can we measure this hum? Can we collate our data? Is the EPA aware of this? To whom do we make official complaints? Should we start a website that is purely dedicated to this specific form of noise pollution? Can we organize and channel our response in a calm, orderly, productive fashion? The message boards are a great start--- it's clear there's something yucky going on--- the next step is doing something about it, or not doing something about it.

I have the low humming in my "head" as well. It's like you hear it but it's not in the ears; well, hard to explain. It's a very very very low hum. I noticed I had it previously for about 2 months and it got louder and louder until the Myanmar earthquake. Then it stopped. Now I have it again for the past 3 weeks, and it's still very low. Has not intensified "yet".

/C

Quoting: Canundrum

Guess it could sometimes be explained as people hearing fault lines moving.

Well, I've been to two other homes in the immediate vicinity (5-miles radius) and about 20 miles out into some pretty pristine wilderness... could hear it both homes loud and clear, and just barely the bush. This in the Murrieta, southern Riverside County area just north of San Diego County.

The next question is: how can we make this a 'media-worthy' phenomenon? I personally believe it is, as I can't imagine how this isn't absolutely deteriorating the quality of life for the residents of these areas (whether consciously or not). I had an interesting conversation with a friend of mine who is an environmental researcher at a local university- his claim is that certain pervading frequencies not only affect our immune systems (for the constant low-grade stress and sleep problems) but also affect the animals. It has been shown that farm animals are less productive and tend to live shorter lives while constantly bathed in certain sounds. I'm personally going batty living here and am currently trying to figure out how to move asap... and I'm not being dramatic- it's making me miserable.

Quoting: lucidink 11709942

I have it with the Feds and CT State Officals. The newspapers are afraid to run the story. Tens of thousands reporting this on sites like this one. My research has conclusively proven here in CT that the operational changes to the high pressure natural gas lines are the cause. They are acting like blowing over a bottle, and much more engineering techincal mumbo jumbo. Whatever your belief is, it's real and the phenomena needs to get into the news to start the avalanche rolling.

I've discovered that I can hear it REALLY loudly with my right ear (with a finger jammed in my left ear), and hardly at all with my left ear (w/ my right ear plugged)- clearly due to a difference in my hearing abilities and would explain the wavering 'off' stereoscopic image. Most interesting: if I hum the note, the HUM seems to stop for a moment or two, then immediately fills in the auditory vacuum. It's almost like my humming creates a temporary baffle that mutes or 'defeats' the waves- like noise cancelling headphones.

Last night was quiet enough outside that I could hear it outdoors... I also now remember how loud it was last summer. I'd like to go to other people's homes in the area and see if it can be heard. I'm also considering a late night source search when it gets really bad--- does anyone have any suggestion as to what type of device I might need to detect or measure this sound. If I can get at least 3 accurate measurements I can begin to triangulate the source direction and track it down (this assuming there's a primary direction). I"m under the impression this is an overlapping phenomenon, so I'm sure there are multiple sources--- whether low frequency towers, ELFS or whatever other networking might be causing this. And I can hear it right now, at 10:00 am, in my otherwise silent home.

Quoting: lucidink 11709942

Laptop, with good mic (like a gigaware combo camera mic), FFT (fast fournier transform) anaylyzer or Spectrum 1/3 Octave band analyzer software. Take data on a spread sheet and track to the epicenter of the intensity. I suggest you locate the high pressure natural gas lines in your area and focus on those before you waste time changing cell towers and the like. The low frequency spectrum carries through the ground and does not attenuate quickly, especially if you are tracking on a fault line or geological rift (like in Taos. FYI the SF Bay area out east past Livermoor is loaded with Hum reports (Topix Livermore), as is the LA area, so finidng a single epicenter will be very difficult.

Yep, I hear it too. A steady droning sound. Intermitatant, on for a 10 - 20 seconds, and then off for a few. It is almost cyclical. No one else hears it. It is not tinnitus. It started maybe 3 or 4 months ago and then stopped a few weeks back, and now has returned. Most noticable in the morning or in the afternoon, sometimes in the early evenings. Never hear it at night as fae as I know. I too thought it might be underground construction, or perhaps cell repeater towers? I am in central southern Alabama.

I am developing a map of the hums through out the US (over 500 points so far), and if possible keeping your confidentiality, can posters tell me at least the town and state they are hearing or feeling the sensations of the hum- that is idling diesel inside home, some hear it more as a "bizzing sound- and proven not tinnuitis", ear pressure, heaviness feeling like a bass speaker playing, tingly vibrations on the bottoms of your feet inside the home, heard inside a parked vehicle, etc.

Thanks

Quoting: copsne

south central Alabama, nearest town is 10 miles, mainly right ear, not tinnitus, in the morning, early afternoon and at times in the evening, not usually after sundown